Welcome to the April 2026 edition of Vikela Armour’s monthly technology & business development newsletter.
April has been another exciting month for Vikela Armour, with continued progress across innovation, industry engagement, and community involvement. From participating in Digital Catapult’s Digital Twin Programme and attending The Security Event at the NEC Birmingham, to supporting our local community through the sponsorship of Bangor Academy’s rugby tour, it has been a fantastic month of growth and collaboration. 🚀
We hope all of our readers, partners, and supporters have had a great month and enjoy catching up on our latest updates 👏
Showcasing Innovation with UKRI and Digital Catapult
In April, the Vikela Armour team was delighted to take part in a showcase event hosted by Digital Catapult during a visit from Sir Ian Chapman, CEO of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
As participants in the Digital Twin SME Accelerator Programme, we were proud to demonstrate our technology and discuss how advanced manufacturing is shaping the future of personal protective equipment. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to showcase Vikela Armour’s 3D-printed body armour technology, connect with leaders across the innovation ecosystem, and highlight both the opportunities and challenges facing SMEs in Northern Ireland’s growing advanced manufacturing sector.
We would like to thank the Digital Catapult team for the invitation and continued support. Opportunities like these are incredibly important in helping innovative companies build visibility, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate the development of next-generation technologies.
The Security Event (TSE) at the NEC Birmingham Visit
The Vikela Armour team attended The Security Event at the NEC Birmingham, an excellent opportunity to connect with professionals such as Satia Rai Dir.IPSA F.ISRM MSyI and others across the security industry who are focused on advancing personal protection and public safety.
Conversations throughout the event reinforced the growing demand for more effective and wearable protective equipment. At Vikela Armour, we are addressing this challenge through the development of the world’s first 3D-printed body armour, designed to improve comfort, flexibility, and long-term wearability without compromising protection.
We would also like to extend our thanks to Marie Diane Tyler DIR.IPSA and the International Professional Security Association (IPSA) team for their continued support. Collaboration and encouragement from organisations within the industry play an important role in helping innovative technologies reach the people who need them most.
Exploring the Future of Digital Twins and Simulation
As part of the Digital Twin SME Accelerator Programme, the Vikela Armour team recently attended the “Accelerating Modelling & Simulation” workshop hosted by Digital Catapult in partnership with CFMS (Centre for Modelling & Simulation) at the UK Digital Twin Centre in Belfast.
The workshop brought together industry leaders, technology specialists, and innovative SMEs to explore how modelling, simulation, and digital twin technologies are transforming industrial processes and accelerating product development across multiple sectors.
Throughout the day, sessions focused on advanced simulation capabilities, real-world industrial applications, and demonstrations of cutting-edge digital twin tools, including the MOOSE framework. The event provided valuable insight into how these technologies can support faster prototyping, improved performance testing, and more efficient product design.
For Vikela Armour, participation in the programme continues to provide exciting opportunities to explore how digital engineering and simulation can enhance the development of next-generation 3D-printed body armour solutions. Engaging with experts across the ecosystem also highlighted the growing strength of Northern Ireland’s advanced manufacturing and innovation community.
We would like to thank the teams at Digital Catapult and CFMS for hosting such an insightful and collaborative event.
Other news
Supporting Our Local Community
At Vikela Armour, we believe innovation should go hand in hand with supporting the communities around us. That’s why we were delighted to sponsor Bangor Academy for their recent rugby tour.
Grassroots sport plays an important role in building teamwork, resilience, confidence, and community spirit, values that strongly align with our own as a company. We are proud to be able to contribute to opportunities that allow young people to develop both on and off the pitch.
As a Northern Ireland-based business, giving back to our local community is something that is very important to us. Supporting local schools, clubs, and initiatives is one of the ways we hope to make a positive impact while encouraging the next generation to aim high and pursue their ambitions.
We would like to wish the players, coaches, and everyone involved at Bangor Academy continued success for the future, and we look forward to supporting more community initiatives in the years ahead.
Thank you for reading our latest newsletter we’re looking forward to bringing you more updates over the coming months.
As always, feel free to get in touch if you’d like to book a chat or have any questions. If you know someone we should be speaking to, we’d always appreciate an introduction.
Look out for our next newsletter at the end of May, and have a great month in the meantime.
The Vikela Team 👋
